This text was translated from Portuguese using Google Translate’s AI system (not edited).
For many years, the message was almost unanimous in Canada: to have a successful career, you needed a college degree, to work with computers, and to enter the Information Technology (IT) field. Programming, software development, and systems analysis were considered the good jobs of the future.
But the future arrived… and brought a big surprise.
The accelerated advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly changing the job market. Tools capable of writing code, creating applications, producing images, and automating tasks are reducing the demand for various roles in the technology field, especially for entry-level professionals.
At the same time, another sector is experiencing a completely different moment. In Ontario, for example, Skilled Trades—technical and manual trades—are among the most valued careers with the highest job availability.
Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, industrial mechanics, and HVAC technicians have never been more in demand.
The digital world depends on the real world.
Artificial Intelligence impresses with the speed at which it performs intellectual tasks. She writes texts, develops programs, and analyzes enormous amounts of information in seconds. But one limitation remains evident: AI doesn’t install an electrical panel, fix a leak, assemble a metal structure, or maintain a factory.
All these activities require physical presence, manual skill, experience, and the ability to solve unexpected problems—characteristics that remain exclusively human. This is precisely why Skilled Trades professionals have become one of the most valuable resources in the Canadian economy.
Why does Ontario need so many professionals?
The answer lies in the province’s own growth. In recent years, Ontario has received hundreds of thousands of new residents, significantly increasing the demand for housing, hospitals, schools, public transportation, and infrastructure. Furthermore, a significant portion of the workforce is retiring, creating a huge void that needs to be filled.
According to the provincial government, thousands of vacancies remain open in various sectors due to a lack of qualified professionals. To address this challenge, Skilled Trades Ontario has been promoting certification programs and encouraging young people, women, and new immigrants to enter these professions.
Learning by Working: The Apprenticeship Model
One of the great advantages of the Canadian system is the Apprenticeship model. In this model, the apprentice works from the beginning in a company, receives a salary while learning, and combines practical training with technical classes. Upon completing their training and obtaining professional certification (Journeyperson), they can achieve competitive salaries, often higher than those of many university careers. In addition to remuneration, there is another important differentiator: high employability. In many areas, professionals receive job offers even before completing their training.
Skilled Trades in the Green Economy
Another factor driving these careers is the transition to a more sustainable economy. Electric vehicles, solar panels, charging stations, wind turbines, and energy efficiency projects depend directly on electricians, specialized technicians, and construction professionals. In other words, behind the so-called green economy lies a huge demand for skilled workers.
An Excellent Opportunity for New Immigrants
For Brazilians, Portuguese, and others living in Canada—or intending to build a career in the country—Skilled Trades represent an excellent opportunity. Many professions don’t require a traditional university degree, offer paid training, and allow for consistent professional growth. Naturally, some careers require provincial certification, English proficiency, and practical experience, but the return usually justifies the investment.
More than ever, Canada needs people capable of building, installing, repairing, and maintaining its infrastructure.
The future may be in your hands.
For a long time, it was believed that the future would be entirely digital.
In practice, however, technological development has shown something different: the more advanced the technology becomes, the greater the need for professionals capable of transforming projects into reality.
Artificial Intelligence will certainly continue to revolutionize various sectors of the economy.
But, for now—and probably for many years—it still cannot build a house, install an electrical grid, repair an industrial machine, or ensure that a city continues to function.
In Ontario, this reality is precisely valuing those professionals who work with their hands, solve real problems, and help build the future, every day.
In Ontario, this reality is precisely valuing those professionals who work with their hands, solve real problems, and help build the future every day.
5 reasons to consider a career in Skilled Trades
REAL DEMAND
More than 400,000 workers will be needed in Skilled Trades-related occupations in Ontario in the next decade.
GOOD PAY
Professions such as electrician and millwright have median salaries of approximately $34/hour and $35.59/hour, respectively, in Ontario.
PAID APPRENTICESHIP
In apprenticeships, much of the training takes place on the job, allowing you to earn while you learn. The Ontario government reports that 85% to 90% of apprenticeships consist of paid on-the-job training.
YOU DON’T NEED TO START AT 18 YEARS OLD. AGE IS NOT A LIMITING FACTOR
Skilled Trades can also be an alternative for those thinking about changing careers. Ontario explicitly states that it is possible to start this path at different points in one’s professional life.
THE FUTURE IN INFRASTRUCTURE
Electricians, millwrights, welders, and other professionals will be needed for infrastructure, energy, construction, and manufacturing projects. Ontario estimates, for example, the need for 7,700 electricians, 7,300 millwrights, and 6,400 welders in the next decade for infrastructure and energy projects.
Example from Hamilton
The Ontario government is investing over $6 million to expand apprenticeship programs and modernize training in technical professions in the Hamilton region. Through the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, the Capital Grant for Apprenticeship, and the Skills Development Fund, the province supports eight local organizations that will help nearly 200 people prepare for high-demand jobs and ensure apprentices have access to the equipment and technologies used on current construction sites. As part of its plan to strengthen the province, the government seeks to expand access to vocational training and ensure the workforce needed to build homes, highways, hospitals, schools, and other essential infrastructure.
Investment in Skilled Trades also finds support in different sectors of society and the political spectrum. The NDP, for example, through the Workers for Canada plan, advocates for strengthening infrastructure and expanding opportunities for skilled workers.
If you are planning your career in Canada or thinking about changing professions, it is worth researching the opportunities offered by Skilled Trades. At a time when many digital roles are undergoing profound transformations, investing in a technical profession can represent stability, good remuneration, and excellent growth prospects in the coming years. While some digital professions are being profoundly transformed by artificial intelligence, work that requires physical presence, technical knowledge, and the ability to install, build, repair, and maintain the real world remains indispensable.
For local information, visit the official websites of the provinces. For Ontario, visit: www.skilledtradesontario.ca
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